This cozy mystery was written over twenty years ago, thus the setting includes pay phones and smoking was still allowed in a restaurant. The story begins in 1976 New Jersey with John attempting to work up the courage to tell his perfect wife, Harriet, that their newborn baby girl isn't perfect. They already have daughter Mallory, who is beautiful and perfect, just like Harriet. Baby Abby was born with a large birthmark, a port-wine stain covering half her face.
It's kind of a Cinderella story, with one daughter a beautiful princess, the mean Mom, and the ugly, imperfect other daughter. Harriet is evil, self-centered and hateful to Abby. The descriptions of her treatment of Abby are vivid and painful to imagine. Her preferential treatment towards Mallory is unimaginable.
John and Donovan are best friends and brother-in-law's. They married sisters Harriet and Emma.  Emma died in childbirth. Donovan tries to convince John to leave Harriet.
Then the unexpected mysterious deaths of John and Harriet leaves widower Donovan the girls guardian. He quickly marries an attractive acquaintance, Carol, accepts a job with his cousin and moves to Charleston, SC with the girls.
Carol turns out to be another controlling, manipulative woman who tells Donovan to either institutionalize Mallory or she's leaving him.
Mallory is packed off for psychiatric help to a special school in Atlanta, Argone. She's at Argone for many years until she's declared cured.
There is an equal amount of the story devoted to Abby. Her college days, career ambitions, best friend and boyfriends. It culminates with their reunion and further family drama. It was an easy read, but not very hard to figure out. There are very detailed descriptions and good character development.
Not really sure why the book is just now being released, but I have read and enjoyed this author before.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital reader copy of "The Guest List " by Fern Michaels and to Kensington Books. These are my honest personal thoughts an opinions give voluntarily.

Suspense and thrills and plenty of red herrings in this book. In this delightful whodunit, what you think you know is not always what is true. In this book, Abby Mitchell has led a charmed life, adored by her adopted father Donovan and his wife, Carol, after the suspicious death of her parents in a tragic event. Against odds, she has blossomed at college, has a best friend, and there is a boy who loves her for who she is disregarding her facial disfigurement due to a birth mark. Abby has also become an accomplished author and is set to soar in the adult world. But then her older sister, Mallory, whom used to shame her terribly for her birth disfigurement had been cast away to an institution as a young child, returns to Abby's life. Mallory tries to make amends to Abby and seeks to reunite the loving sisters. Can Abby trust that Mallory is cured and changed for the better? Or does she believe her adoptive mother, Carol, who wants to keep Abby dependent on her, that Mallory is a bad seed not to be trusted. Soon, there is a murder or two of people close to Abby who all seem to die of the same ailment and she is conflicted whether someone she loves is connected or not. Abby and Mallory put themselves in danger as they try to figure out exactly how their parents died.
Well written, Fern Michaels knows how to put out a suspenseful story. Although the sisters had it in mind who the murderer was, the reader is provided glimpses that would tell you otherwise. This was a page turner and the clues and red herrings had me continue reading and thinking, aha! Michaels provides lots of clues and has you reflecting back to specific moments. It was fun to read to see if I was correct (I was) and you will enjoy the twist at the end. Grab this today for a cozy mystery.
Many thanks to #netgalley #fernmichaels #theguestlist for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Predictable for the most part but enjoyable. Not a very realistic story but of course it's fiction. I liked that Abby and Mallory were able to form a bond. The dogs added a fun aspect to the story. Good beach read.

When I first started reading The Guest List I noticed it obviously took place a good number of years in the past. So I researched the title and found it was published in 2000. I was a bit disappointed but I never like turning down a book I've selected to read so I carried on never disappointed at my reading choice. I loved the characters the good, bad and ugly. How hard it is to read about a sister that acts with hate and a mother that encourages it. Hurting to hear the way the younger child with the sweetest caring personality but bearing a port wine stain on one side of the face is treated by her own parent. Loving the father as well as his friend who lives next door and always there for them. Then death alters the girls' lives as they go on to be adopted by the best friend and his new wife. Separated when the older daughter cannot be controlled the girls grow and separately go on to college and then adulthood. College for Abby, the younger sister, found her realizing the control she has over her life, love, and becoming a published author. Yet she is always all too aware of the stain on her face. When the sisters reunite, oh what they have to face as the look back at their past, ahead to the future, astounding findings about their step parents, and even more who they can trust. While I suspected who was the evil character early on, the strong character development had me devouring an excellent story to the end. If this novel is not already in a library it should be, sooner than later.

The Guest List is a suspenseful mystery with a lot of character development. There is a lot of family drama, second chances, and forgiveness throughout the story. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more books written by Fern Michaels.

Fluffin' Puffin! 😳😯🤯🥹

Oh my flip flappin' chicken wings! I absolutely adored this! I happily hunkered down during a rainstorm today, with an iced coffee & my dog to dig into this comforting novel. This was such a great suspenseful mystery with an added bonus of a heart warming story mixed in that I loved! This was such a type of cozy comfort mystery for me and I adored it! Think chocolate cake with a mystery show!

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: This novel takes place in the 80's & 90's, starting with two young sisters, Mallory and Abby. Mallory was older, prettier and self centred, while Abby was smart, sensitive and marked with a port-wine stain on half of her face. Tragedy struck their lives early when both their parents died and their Uncle Donovan & Aunt Carol took them in. However, as their stories unfold, as they grow, learn, go through ups and downs, and as the sisters grow close again after a hiatus of years apart; Abby's job and Mallory's suspicions will unearth something so sinister and heart-wrenching, it could cost both of them.

Even though I had it figured it out 3/4 of the way through, I absolutely fell in love with their characters, their journey and how it all unravelled. I enjoyed it so much. A mystery wrapped up in a warm hug! It was beautiful and poignant with an excellent added mystery. I always love reading Fern Michaels and this was no exception. When I need something lighter, but still with meat, she never lets me down!

Thank you to NetGalley & Kensington Books for this ARC.
Re-Release Date: July 26, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊

WOW! This has it all. Suspense, romance, healing, transformation of lives. The characters are all well developed.
Abby is born with a large port wine stain on her face. Her mother, Harriet Evans, a very beautiful, vain, selfish woman was unable to love a child that was not perfect. She coached her older daughter ,Mallory, to hate and torment her younger sister. Her father, John Evans, loves both his daughters and tries to protect Abby from her viscous mother. Their neighbor,Donovan Mitchell, is Johns best friend. He also loves and wants to protect Abby.
Donovan’s is a widower. His wife, Harriet’s sister, died in childbirth due to a heart attack.
Neighbor Mrs. Lascares loves the little girls and Donovan and John and tries to keep peace.
The death of Abby’s mom( due to a heartache) and her fathers subsequent suicide leaves both girls in Donovan’s care. His girlfriend Carol and Donovan marry to be a family for the kids.
Mallory is so hateful that she is then placed in an institution.
Many twists and turns with this story. Abby’s love life has tragic endings.
Ends well with a twist.

My first thought as I started reading The Guest List was this isn’t a book that is going to age well. A mother’s detachment towards a child for a wine stain birth mark felt over the top. But I under estimated the author. What follows is a decent mystery. Mallory and Abby are sisters but their mother pitted the older against the younger child. When their parents die an uncle and his new wife gets custody and adopts them. Unable to control Mallory’s behavior she is sent to an institutionalized school. Years later Mallory and Abby reconnect and secrets and lies come out. Abby has become a mystery writer and Mallory is her public face and research assistant. When Mallory convinces Abby to base her next book on their parents murder things start happening.

I enjoyed the pacing but wish the author could have kept some viable red herring suspects. It became obvious to me less than half way in who was behind everything. But at least it was something that I could see and figure out and not a last minute surprise that comes from no where. Fern Michael’s is a solid writer. Her writing style is a little old fashioned, no graphic love scenes or gore. This is a republishing of a book from 2000 and it held up better to time than I expected. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abby and Mallory are separated as young girls after a terrible tragedy leaves both of their parents dead. Once reunited as adults, they have to relearn each other and also learn to trust one another and they aren’t really sure if they can. Abby is loved by her adoptive parents but Mallory was sent off to live elsewhere.

We learn the truth about the parent’s death and about all of the people involved in the girl’s lives as they grew up. What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! That’s what I can say about this book! The turns it took were devious. Although its not my favorite Fern Michaels book, I am definitely glad I read it. There were a few bland spots but I pushed through those. As always, great writing by Fern Michaels and a fun little mystery to read just as summer hits.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp.

Another amazing book by Fern Michaels. This one captured me from the first page and had me reading through the night.
Mallory and Abby, sisters, could not have been different. According to their mother, one was perfect and beautiful, the other ugly and a freak because of a birthmark on her face. Being treated differently was the norm for the girls. When both their parents died suddenly the girls are taken to live with their uncle and his new wife. But life did not have a happy ending, at least for Mallory, who was sent to live in an institution. As adults, the girls reconnect and secrets and lies come to light. One of the greatest one being, did their parents die or where they killed? With little evidence the sisters set off on a path of discovery and it leads them to uncover truths that seem unbelievable.
Great characters, with a plot that had a lot of twists and turns, right up to the end. Highly recommend for lovers of suspense and mystery.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fern Michaels has written another thrilling, suspenseful mystery. This is an unpredictable plot and kept me guessing. I kept going back and forth on
who the actual killer was? Just when I thought the clues pointed to one person, something would pop up to make be suspect someone else. The more Abby discovers, the more her life is in jeopardy as well as her sister Mallory's life. Or is Mallery the killer? No, maybe it's Donovan. Could it be Carol? That wouldn't make sense. Carol is like a mother to her. All the clues are getting jumbled. Maybe she is just being paranoid and it's all a coincidence. Maybe her mother really did die of a heart attack. It appears her dad was so distraught he committed suicide. Then there is her fiancé Connor. It's possible a healthy, 20 something young man could have had a heart attack, right?
Thank you to NetGalley and Zebra Books for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review The Guest List. Originally published in 2000 was a very fast and enjoyable read. A good mystery that had many context clues as to who the real murderer was.

Some books, especially mysteries, can be fun to read, even if you figure out the culprit long before the end of the book. “The Guest List” was one of those books. It was gripping from the very start until the final chapter. Abby Mitchell was a believable, yet clueless, heroine who had no reason to question the life choices that had been made for her. The timeline moved rapidly, maybe too rapidly at the start, but this was definitely a well written page turner worthy of a book club selection.

This was a good mystery, with family drama, some twists and turns, and suspense. I enjoyed the story.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. A book by a gifted and talented author...one I read often and enjoy. Friends...family...intrigue...mystery...caring about others...although the story moves somewhat slowly at times, it is still an intriguing read...enjoy.

The Guest List by Fern Michaels was a very enjoyable read.

The story of Mallory and Abby, their so-easy-to-hate mother, and the rest of their family kept me flipping pages waiting to see what fresh hell awaited these girls as they became women.

As many other reviewers have mentioned, it was very obvious who was the actual killer, and that was a disappointment to me as well as a frustration. It was a huge frustration that neither of the girls could see what was painfully obvious.

Even with that being said, I did enjoy the rest of the story and was happy to see the changes in Mallory and the acceptance in Abby's heart.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC at my request.

This one was a little unexpected! In a good way. I will never not read a Fern Michael's book and this one was a pleasant surprise. Murder, family drama, mystery, thriller, it had a touch of everything and I couldn't put it down.

The Guest List is by far one of Fern Michaels' best novels so far.

For the first time ever, Abby Mitchell feels that the world is her oyster. Her first book has found a publisher, a daring new surgery is on the horizon, and there’s a new man in her life. Then she is reunited with her sister Mallory.

While they make up for lost time and plan their party they need to be careful because it's become very dangerous for them.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Kensington Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

An enjoyable book club or beach read for fans of the author and genre.

The Guest List by F. Michaels, published by Kensington Books, is a full-length, stand-alone story.
The thriller is one of the twistiest, most unexpected turns read I read in a long time and I loved it. The storyline spans years, is complex and houses multiple characters, tells their stories, their woes, their accomplishments. And in the core is Abby and her family. I read this book, cover to cover, in one sitting - unputdownable, literally unputdownable. I recommedn the book, 5 stars.